


Starting Over

by Siberianskys



Series: Starting Over [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Clint Barton's Backstory, Developing Relationship, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:29:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28554663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberianskys/pseuds/Siberianskys
Summary: Prompts: Redecorating A Room, First/New Car, Starting A New Job, Learning A New Skill, Taking A Class, Getting A New Employee/Volunteer, Starting With Nothing, Beginning A Blog Or Journal, Fall in Love, Recycling/Upcycling, Moving To A New Town, Unboxing, New Home, Get a Pet, Learning A New Language, and Renovating a Building
Relationships: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Phil Coulson & Nick Fury
Series: Starting Over [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2138448
Comments: 38
Kudos: 44
Collections: Allbingo





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the January Allbingo Challenge.

"Aren't you the one that shot me in the ass?" Clint asked, in way of greeting when he was shown into the man's office that he had been told would be his handler. 

"I would think that would be preferable to shooting you in the head as I was ordered," Coulson said.

The two men were silently staring each other down across Coulson's desk when Fury walked in.

Fury, ignoring Clint, glared at Coulson and said, "You brought him into my house, Phil, so you're going to need to learn to work with him. He's your responsibility."

"Yes, sir," Coulson said. 

"Son," Fury said, turning toward Clint, "Good luck."

"He's the one that's going to need luck," Clint said. 

Fury laughed without humor, "You better be right, Phil."

"I am," Coulson said.

Once Fury left, Clint said, "What happens now?

"Psyche isn't thrilled with the stability of your upbringing," Coulson said. 

"I'm not thrilled with it either," Clint said. "It sucked, but I doubt that's a surprise to you if you've been the one following me all this time."

"It's not," Coulson said. 

"So, why am I here," Clint asked, "and not in a pine box or at the very least assigned to a Supermax for life?"

"I'm not willing to waste your skills," Coulson said. "Even though you're rough around the edges, you have an interesting moral compass which I can work with."

"Well?" Clint asked. 

"I'm guessing a haircut is not something you're interested in."

Clint smirked and said, "at least not one that your tight-assed, tie-wearing self would approve of."

He wouldn't recognize me on the weekend if he bumped into me in a jazz club, Coulson thought. "We start by putting a roof over your head and then finding you wheels that you won't mind being seen in public in and are reliable enough to get you back and forth to work."

"I get to live alone in the city?" Clint asked

:"Psyche thinks that having a stable home-life as well as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s trust will be good for you," Coulson said. 

"What's that mean?" Clint asked. 

Coulson handed the way too young, pony-tailed S.H.I.E.L.D. specialist-in-training a yellow envelope. "It contains your Driver's License, concealed weapons permit, credit cards, S.H.I.E.L.D. I.D.and some cash," Coulson said. 

"What's my legend?" Clint asked. 

"Fury has a lot of connections," Phil said. "Your birth name is your own. You were a minor when you committed most of your crimes and the rest, well, your hiring date was fudged a little. For now, S.H.I.E.L.D. will take care of your living expenses and legal documents until you learn to take care of them yourself. Your paychecks will be more than you need to live. You'll even have a 401K and a savings account, oh and, of course, medical benefits."

"I've been on my own," Clint started, before Coulson cut him off. 

"Barton, you may have been living on you own for much longer than you should have," Coulson said, "but that doesn't mean you know how to do it as an honest citizen."

"And you're going to teach me how to blend in with the masses?" Clint asked. 

"Maybe not the masses," Coulson said, "but, close enough."

"How are you going to do that?" Clint asked. 

"I got us an appointment with a real estate agent that has done a lot of work with S.H.I.E.L.D.," Coulson said. 

Clint stared at Coulson like he thought his handler had lost his mind. "No body is going to sell me property."

"They will when you give them a cashier's check," Coulson said. "Housing is part of your hiring bonus."

"You're coming with me right?" Clint asked.

"I'll be accompanying you to most places outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. until you settle into your new life," Coulson said.

"Sorry you didn't shoot me in the head yet?" Clint asked. 

"No," Coulson said. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner."

As Clint looked at Coulson intently, he wondered if Coulson could be serious. It was hard for Clint to believe that someone like Coulson would think he was worth so much of his time.


	2. Chapter 2

"There is no way I can afford that," Clint said, as Coulson pulled in front of the brownstone and parked. 

"It needs a lot of work," Coulson said. "With your skill set I told Mitchell that it might be an option." 

"Mitchell?" Clint asked. 

"The real estate agent," Coulson said.

"Which skill set?" Clint asked. 

"Construction," Coulson said. "Someone started renovating the house, but didn't finish. The electric and plumbing are already roughed in, so you shouldn't have to hire a plumber or an electrician. I was told the first floor is completely done." 

"Agent Coulson," a man said, approaching Coulson and Clint when they got out of the car. 

"Hi, Mitch," Coulson said, offering his hand. 

"Nice to see you," Mitch said, shaking his client's hand. 

"This is--" Coulson started. 

"I'm Barton," Clint said. 

"It's nice to meet you, Barton," Mitch said.

"This looks a lot bigger than I need," Clint said. 

"Understandable," Mitch said. "Do you want to go ahead and see it since it's such a great price and I've been told that you won't mind a fixer upper?"

"Why not," Barton said. "We're here."

Mitch led Barton and Agent Coulson into the brownstone.

"Wow," Clint said, taking in the view when they entered the house. The entryway was massive and the ceilings extremely high. "Whoever did this did a good job."

"I'm glad you like it," Mitch said. "It's too bad that the flippers ran out of funds. They did do very good work. Do you want to see the kitchen" 

"Sure,: Clint said, as he walked through the living room, past the stone fireplace, and into the impressive kitchen. "Double ovens," Clint grinned, "and a dishwasher. I've never lived anywhere with a dishwasher."

Coulson smiled at Barton's apparent glee at first floor. "We're not looking at other houses are we?" 

"That depends," Clint said. "I take it the rest of the house isn't this awesome."

"The second floor needs a lot of work," Mitch said. "It basically has walls and one and two bathrooms completed. The third floor is done, but I'm sure you'll want to make some changes."

"What's that?" Clint asked, pointing at a door. 

"That is a half bath," Mitch said. 

"Done?" Clint asked. 

"Done," Mitch said. 

"Do you want to see it?" Coulson asked. 

"I'll look it over closer when I look the whole place over later and make sure everything works," Clint said, "but for now I just want to see how much DIY there is left to do."

When the group got to the second floor, Mitch pointed out the layout and said, "The original owners meant for there to be a guest suite, an office, a guest bathroom and a laundry room. 

"This really is way too big for me," Clint said. 

"Do you want to go ahead and see the third floor or are you ready to look at other houses?" Mitch asked. 

"I want that kitchen," Clint said. "It's amazing. Go ahead and show me the third floor."

When they made it to the third floor and walked into the master suite, Clint laughed gleefully. 

"I figured you would want to make some changes," Mitch said. 

"Changes?" Clint asked. "Why the fu--Why would I want to make changes/'

"It's a....bright," Mitch said, searching for a non-offensive word."

"It's purple," Clint said. 

"I've had five potential buyers walk out, because it was purple," Mitch said. 

"I take it you're moving in," Coulson said. 

"Can I really afford it?" Clint asked. 

"I think you can," Coulson said. "I understand that the sellers are motivated to sell."

"They are," Mitch said. 

"I'm going to go check the plumbing and electricity and all that other stuff that is important" Clint said, "and if it's all good then Coulson can make the deal."

Coulson watched Clint as he bounded out of the master suite and could hear him pounding down the stairs. 

"He really won't redecorate the master?" Mitch asked. 

"For Barton, that color is a selling point," Coulson said. "I'll tell you that story one day. It's not classified."


	3. Chapter 3

"So much for the brownstone being too large," Coulson said, pulling out from in front of Clint's soon to be new house.

"It's way too big," Clint said, "but I can't say no to that kitchen and the third floor is all shades of purple and lavendar. How do I turn that down? It's perfect. It's like it was decorated for me."

"I'm glad you like it," Coulson said. 

"And it's not that much work," Clint said. "It's just the second floor. I still don't understand how I can afford it." 

'The second floor is a lot more work than most people would want to do or have the skills to do," Coulson said, "and the master suite--that's a lot of tile, paint and flooring if you hate the colors."

"Is my taste that strange?" Clint asked. 

"It's probably not the most sought after color scheme," Coulson said, shrugging. Glancing at Barton out of the corner of his eye and feeling his heart beat harder against his chest, Coulson thought to himself, he's way too young, stop looking at him you don't even know for sure if he's gay."

"We only looked at one house," Barton said. "Does that mean we have time to look at cars?"

"Sure," Coulson said. "We probably have enough time to look at several dealerships. Do you have any idea of what you want?" 

"I want a pick-up truck," Clint said. 

"Really?" Coulson asked. "I had you pegged for an American muscle car."

"As much as I would love a purple Challenger," Clint said, "I can't carry construction equipment in it. I need something practical."

'F-150?" Coulson asked. 

Clint nodded.

"New or used?" Coulson asked. 

"Doesn't matter," Clint said, "as long as it runs."

"I think I can do better than that," Coulson said, taking his cell from his pocket and dialing his brother.

"Everything okay. Phil," Coulson's brother asked as he answered his landline.

"Fine," Coulson said. "I was just wondering if you're still looking for a buyer for your F-150."

"I can't see you behind the wheel of a pick-up truck," Phil's brother said into Coulson's ear. 

"There's a new guy at work that's in the market," Coulson said. 

"We're all home. By the time you guys get here dinner will be on the table."

"We're on the way and thank Hope for feeding us," Coulson said, before hanging up.

"We're eating with your brother and his family," Clint asked. 

"We are," Coulson said. 

"Are you sure about this?" Clint asked. 

"They're nice people," Coulson said.

"And I'm--" 

Coulson reached over and patted Clint's arm. "I don't know what you're expecting, but I'm the one that's overdressed. My sister-in-law runs her family's apple orchard up state. I'll be the only one in a suit."

'So I'll blend in?" Clint asked. 

"You're the one from farm country," Coulson said. 

"You and your brother aren't?" Clint asked. 

"We're from Chicago," Coulson said. "Mike met Emily at Penn St.."


	4. Chapter 4

Phil drove up the hill toward the orchard and turned right toward the house's driveway. Once he'd gotten to the top he parked in front of the house and turned off his engine. 

When Clint felt the car stop, he woke-up and turned to look around. "It's beautiful," Clint said, looking down the hill at the apple trees. 

"I'm not going to lose you to the orchard am I," Coulson asked. 

Clint grinned. "I could shoot arrows off of peoples' heads," Clint said. 

"Don't tell the kids that," Coulson said. 'They'd want you to demonstrate."

'I could do it," Clint said. 

"I know you could," Coulson said, letting himself out of the driver's seat as Clint got out of the passenger's one.

"You made good time," Mike Coulson said, walking down the farmhouse steps and walking toward his brother. 

"Barton fell asleep so he couldn't watch me drive," Coulson said. 

"You didn't want me to watch you drive? Oh, you have a lead foot and you didn't want me to see it," Clint said, answering his own question. 

Mike laughed. "You're going to give my brother a run for his money."

"Don't give him any ideas," Coulson said. "He's got enough of his own."

Clint grinned, looking pleased with himself. 

"Would you like to see the truck before we go in for dinner," Mike asked. "The steaks aren't quite ready."

"It runs, right," Clint asked. 

"It does, it's only about 8 months old," Mike said. 

"Is it okay to ask you why you're selling it?" Clint asked. 

"I think that's fare," Mike said. "My kid screwed-up big time and his punishment is to lose his truck."

"Wow," Clint said, "that had to be one major fu--screw-up." 

"It was, sir," a lanky teenager said, joining the group of men as he stood looking at his toes.

"Does he have to call me sir?" Clint asked, looking at Mike."

"We try to raise the kids with manners," Mike said, "but if sir doesn't work for you he can call you whatever you want."

"Barton," Clint told the teenager.

"Laurence," the teenager said, "but, my family calls me Laurie."

Clint smiled at Phil's nephew. 

"I know, it's a girl's name," Laurie said. 

"I thought it came from _Little Women_ ," Clint said. 'I always loved that book," 

"No body knows that," Laurie said. "Mom's second major was in literature. She named all up us after literary characters."

"HR said they'd pay for me to go to college," Clint said. "Do I have to take something work related or can I take anything?" 

Phil looked at Clint surprised at how much he'd misjudged his specialist. "You can study whatever you want," Coulson said. 

"You look surprised that I like books," Clint said. 

"I am," Coulson said. 

"I'm not stupid," Clint said. 

"I know you're not," Coulson said. "I just wasn't expecting books to be your thing. It's not like you got much of a chance to get an education."

"It's what libraries are for," Clint said.


	5. Chapter 5

Coulson was right, Clint thought as he sat at his handler's brother's dinner table. This wasn't what he was expecting. Mike's family was down-to-earth, kind and treated him like he was everybody else and not some uneducated carny. Clint wondered how he would have turned out if his family had been more like this. 

"Barton?" Coulson's 8-year-old niece, Jane, asked. "Did Laurie show you the puppies?" 

"Uncle Phil brought him here to see the truck," Laurie said.

"But Barton is going to move into a big new house all by himself," Jane said. "He should take a puppy home with him to keep him company."

"I don't know if I can have a puppy," Clint said. "I'm going to have to travel a lot for work."

"HR has a list of dog walkers, plant waterers, basically anything you might need when you're out of town," Coulson said. 

"I can have a puppy?" Clint asked excitedly, as he stared wide-eyed at Coulson. 

"I think it would be good for you," Coulson said. 

"You mean Psyche thinks

"I wasn't sure--"

"Should I be embarrassed?" Clint asked. 

"Of course not," Coulson said. "I wasn't sure how comfortable you were with talking about it in public."

"Most people notice that I'm not exactly--I never know what to call it--not like most people," Clint said. 

"You're doing a pretty good job today," Coulson said. 

"Of what?" Clint asked. "Not acting like a carny?" 

Coulson rubbed his forehead. "You like giving me a headache don't you, Barton?"

"Everybody has to have a hobby?" Clint said. 

"Jane?" Coulson asked, "will you please take Barton to go pick out a puppy?" 

"Do you want a girl or a boy?" Jane asked, hopping out of her chair and tugging on Barton's arm. 

"It doesn't matter," Clint said. "I just always wanted a dog."

"You never had a dog?" Jane asked, as she led Barton toward the back door so they could go back to the barn.

'My childhood was complicated," Barton said, as the two went through the back door and their voices could no longer be heard. 

"She's safe with him, right?" Emily asked. 

"Of course," Coulson said, glancing at Laurie and the two fraternal twins that were too young to understand the conversation.

"Should I go out there?" Laurie asked, "to watch her."

"If you'd feel better," Coulson said, "but he'd kill anybody who even looked at her crosswise."

"That's supposed to make me feel better?" Emily asked. 

"It should," Coulson said. "He almost ended up in prison for life, because he shot three traffickers to protect a van full of young women he discovered trapped inside while he was at a gas station." 

'He's a good man?" Mike asked.

"He is," Coulson said. "I wouldn't have brought him here if he would endanger any of you, especially the kids. He many not have had the most orthodox upbringing, but he did somehow learn right from wrong."

"You're falling for him," Emily said. 

"What?" Coulson asked, blushing. 

"It's obvious," Emily said. "The way you look at him."

"He's way too young for me," Coulson said. 

"He's cute, Uncle Phil," Laurie said. 

"I'm not blind," Coulson said, "but I don't even know--"

Laurie laughed. 

"What's funny?" Clint asked, trailing in behind Jane carrying a very large 6-week-old puppy next to his face. 

"Uncle Phil can be a little clueless," Laurie said. 

"He'll work it out," Clint said, undressing Coulson with his eyes. 

Coulson stared at Clint, shocked. 

"I was wondering,: Clint asked, "are you using that desk in the barn?"

"It's falling apart," Mike said. 

"So that's a no?" Clint asked. 

"You're really interested in that old desk?" Mike asked. 

"I should be able to upcycle it," Clint said. "It looked like it used to be beautiful back in the day and I need one for the new house."

"It's yours," Emily said. "If you can see what it used to be I want you to have it."

"My checkbook's in Coulson's car," Clint said. "I can go get it."

"It's not for sale," Emily said. "My grandfather would have loved you. I want it to go to someone who appreciates it. Mike has been trying to throw it out for 20-years."

"It was your grandfather's?" Clint asked. 

"It was," Emily said. 

"I can't--"

"Of course you can," Emily said. 

"Thank you," Clint said. 

"I just want to see it when you're done," Emily said. 

"That can be arranged," Clint said.

Jane twirled around and wrapped her arms around Clint's waist, hugging him tight.

Clint held his arms out to his sides, looking helpless. 

"You're supposed to hug me back," Jane said. 

Clint did as he was told and hugged Jane back. "

"Do I get to be the flower girl?" Jane asked. 

"What?" Clint asked. 

"You're going to be my Uncle Barton," Jane said. "I can tell. Uncle Phil never brings anyone here and he looks happy. He never looks like that."

Clint looked between Coulson and everyone at the table and mumbled, "I'm going to get the desk and drive Marple back to the city in the truck. Thank you," Clint said, "for having me," and bolted.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is for the Snowflake Challenge as well as completes my Allbingo card for January.

Clint climbed out of his truck with a cup of coffee and a paper bag of pastries. He froze when he saw Coulson siitting on the front steps. He tried not to hyperventilate as he walked toward his handler. 

"You haven't returned my calls," Coulson said, "all twenty-two of them."

"I've been busy," Clint said, "and I don't start for another 3 weeks."

"Busy doing what?" Coulson asked. 

"I wanted to get the house finished before I start getting assignments," Clint said. "And I'm trying to train Marple, but the book isn't really helping, so she's got a trainer. HR said that the more languages I could master the better, so I've been trying to learn Spanish since it's close to Portuguese." 

"Yeah," Clint said, "the tattooed lady at the carnival spoke it. I picked it up from her."

"You just picked it up?" Coulson asked. 

:"It was easy when I was a kid," Clint said. "Not so much anymore."

Coulson rolled his eyes. Like Barton wasn't sill a kid, he thought. 

"And Laurie--

"You've seen Laurie?" Coulson asked. 

"Emily was in the city with the kids when you were wherever you were," Clint said, "and she asked me to lunch."

"My sister-in-law took you too lunch?" Coulson asked. 

"I think it was Jane that asked me to unch," Clint said as he pushed through his front door and held it for Coulson. 

"You made an impression on my niece," Coulson said. 

"Should have I said no?" Coulson asked. 

"Of course not," Coulson said. "You would have crushed that little girl's heart. She already thought you were mad at her for running out at dinner."

Clint stared at his feet and shifted his weight back and forth. "I didn't know what else to do." 

:It's okay," Coulson said. "Jane has away of catching people off guard."

"I'm still sorry that I upset her," Clint said. 

"She got over it," Coulson said.

"She's so sweet," Clint said. "And she gave me puppy."

"And Laurie sold you his truck," Coulson said. 

"Not that Laurie had any choice," Clint said. "He still won't tell me what he did."

"Probably a good thing," Coulson said. "You don't need any other bad ideas." 

"Was it a bad idea that he said I should start a blog?" Clint asked, "and I did." 

"What kind of a blog?" Coulson asked. 

"It's crazy, but he wasn't wrong," Clint said. "I put a a button on it and people donate."

"It's legal, right?" Coulson asked. 

It's my work on the second floor," Clint said. "People were actually interested and I added unboxing videos. Who knew?"

"Show me," Coulson said.

"The blog?" Clint asked. 

"No, the second floor," Coulson said. 

Clint led his handler up stairs, stood still and watched as Coulson took in the soft dusty rose siting room. that divided the two bedrooms on that floor. 

"It's beautiful," Coulson said. 

"Not too feminie?" Clint asked. 

"It's restful and the furniture looks comfortable," Coulson said. 

"Thank you," Clint said as he turned toward the whining behind the door. "Sounds like Marple woke-up from her nap."

"May I get her?" Coulson asked. "I've never got to hold her."

"Sure," Clint said, watching Coulson push open the bathroom door and scoop-up Marple. He couldn't help but smile as the usually rigid man cuddle the huge puppy against his cheek. 

"What?" Coulson asked. 

Clint squared his shoulders, let out a heavy sigh and asked Coulson, "Was Jane right?"

"About what?" Coulson asked. 

Clint stepped into Coulson's personal space, grabbed him the lapels and kissed him slow, deep and hard. He had an answer to his question when Coulson returned his kiss.


End file.
